PokerStars is bringing Sunday Million Live back to the felt for the first time in nine years, announcing a live tournament running October 2 through 12, 2026, at the PokerStars Live Room inside Casino di Campione d’Italia. The event marks the return of one of online poker’s most iconic brand names to a live setting, timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Sunday Million itself.
Sunday Million Live Details: Dates, Buy-in, and Guarantee
The tournament runs from October 2 to October 12, 2026, with a buy-in of 250 euros and a guarantee of 1,000,000 euros. The venue, Casino di Campione d’Italia, sits in Campione, a small Italian enclave surrounded by Swiss territory near Lake Lugano, giving the event an unusual geographic backdrop for a poker festival of this size.
According to SuperPoker, the relatively modest 250 euro buy-in is designed to make the event accessible to a wide range of players, in keeping with the Sunday Million’s long standing identity as a tournament built around affordable buy-ins and outsized guarantees.
Celebrating 20 Years of the Sunday Million Brand
The live event’s return is tied directly to the 20th anniversary of the Sunday Million, long one of the most recognizable weekly tournaments in online poker. PokerStars is marking the milestone on multiple fronts, running a special anniversary edition of the regular online Sunday Million with a $5,000,000 guarantee alongside the live celebration in Italy.
For a brand that built its reputation almost entirely online, bringing a live edition back to a physical felt table adds a different dimension to the anniversary celebrations, letting players experience the format in person rather than from behind a screen.
A Nine-Year Wait Since the Last Live Edition
The last time Sunday Million Live ran as a physical event was in 2017, at King’s Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic, where it drew 5,045 entries. That year’s champion, Philipp Salewski, took home approximately 111,000 euros for the win.
The nine year gap between live editions reflects how much the online and live poker calendars have shifted over the past decade, with operators increasingly reserving marquee live festivals for anniversary moments rather than annual fixtures.
How the Schedule Breaks Down
The October event follows a structure familiar to major festival goers, spread across several starting flights to accommodate as many players as possible. Six Day 1 flights, labeled 1A through 1F, run from October 2 through October 9, with each flight playing down until the field is reduced to roughly 12.5 percent of its starting size.
From there, Day 2A and Day 2B are scheduled for October 10, followed by Day 3 on October 11, and the tournament concludes with Day 4, the finals, on October 12. That structure gives players multiple entry windows across more than a week while still building toward a single unified final table.
Why the Return Matters for the Live Poker Calendar
Bringing an online-first brand like Sunday Million into a live setting is a notable move for the broader live tournament calendar, and it may signal more crossover events between online tournament series and physical festivals in the years ahead. For now, the Campione stop stands as a one-time anniversary celebration rather than an annual commitment, though a strong turnout could change that calculus.
Players interested in the basics of tournament poker before jumping into a festival of this scale can review Poker Pro Academy’s guide to how to play poker for a refresher on hand rankings, betting rounds, and tournament structure.
As with any tournament, a 1,000,000 euro guarantee reflects the total the operator commits to paying out, not a promise that any individual entrant will profit. Poker remains a game of skill and chance, and travel to any festival should be planned with a bankroll a player can afford to risk. Live poker events of this kind are intended for adults aged 18 and over who wager responsibly.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is Sunday Million Live 2026 taking place?
Sunday Million Live runs October 2 through 12, 2026, at the PokerStars Live Room inside Casino di Campione d’Italia, in Campione, Italy.
What is the buy-in and guarantee for Sunday Million Live?
The buy-in is 250 euros, with a guaranteed prize pool of 1,000,000 euros.
When was the last Sunday Million Live event held?
The previous live edition took place in 2017 at King’s Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic, drawing 5,045 entries. Philipp Salewski won that event for approximately 111,000 euros.
